'Unscheduled' topics dominate regular Sterling City Council meeting

Citizens bring concerns to council

The Sterling City Council spend nearly an hour hearing from citizens not scheduled to appear at their regular Tuesday meeting on topics ranging from marijuana to weeds.

Chris Herrera, the spokesman for a citizens initiative to overturn the city's ban on medical marijuana business, addressed the council to ask if they would be willing to reconsider the ordinance and allow him to share information that he has collected about the issue.

He said he was coming to the council because there are two new members since the ban was enacted in 2012 and he wanted to know what their feelings are on the issue. He noted that two council members - Patrick Lawson and Marcus Flores - had voted against the ban. While he is collecting petition signatures for a ballot initiative, he said he wanted to establish that the council is able to consider amending the ordinance and see if they would consider doing so.

However, several council members encouraged him to continue to pursue the matter for the ballot. Flores noted that when he voted against the ban, he did so with the idea in mind that it should go before the voters.

Mayor Dan Torres noted that the council acted within the law when it set the ban, but said the supporters of the initiative should take it to the community.

Herrera noted that to get the initiative on this year's ballot he has to collect the required number of signatures in less than a month, but said that even if he doesn't get it this time, he will continue the effort.

Advertisement

The council also heard from Dr. Bill Fredregill on behalf of the Logan County Humane Society. He gave a report on the Trap, Neuter, Release program they contracted with the city to provide last year. In the one-year period, he said they altered 267 and euthanized 51 cats that were either to sick to be treated or showed recent signs of bite wounds and could not be quarantined for rabies. He said that in the past year, 118 unborn kittens were aborted from pregnant females. The council provided $15,000 for the program; Dr. Fredregill noted that some of those funds are left over. He said he would be coming back to the council to discuss continuing the TNR program, as well as possibly pursuing grant funds from other organizations.

Rick Ingwersen of Julesburg brought up a bill he received for $241 for mowing property he owns in Sterling. He said that he has made an effort to find someone to mow the property, but hasn't had much success, and asked if the council would consider sending out a list of businesses that can provide that service along with their notices of violation. He also noted that with the wet spring, weeds are growing much faster.

Acting Public Works Director George Good, who is also the code enforcement officer, explained that before the city sends someone to mow, the property owner receives a notice giving them 10 days to come into compliance.

Council member Dave Appelhans, who works as the Logan County Pest Control District manager, said he could help Ingwersen locate a commercial sprayer to help control the weeds on the lot.

The final unscheduled item brought to the council's attention came from Danny Andrews, who lives on Franklin Street. He said he was concerned about the planned 2 inch overlay slated on Franklin Street for this year's street improvement project. He said that he has issues with water coming into his yard and up under his house; every time the road is raised, he gets more water.

Good said he has spoken with project manager Joe Kaufman, and they plan to mill out 4 inches through that area before doing the overlay, thereby lowering the street 2 inches. They will also address any blocked pipes under the street to improve the drainage through that area.

Article Comments

We reserve the right to remove any comment that violates our ground rules, is spammy, NSFW, defamatory, rude, reckless to the community, etc.

We expect everyone to be respectful of other commenters. It's fine to have differences of opinion, but there's no need to act like a jerk.

Use your own words (don't copy and paste from elsewhere), be honest and don't pretend to be someone (or something) you're not.

Our commenting section is self-policing, so if you see a comment that violates our ground rules, flag it (mouse over to the far right of the commenter's name until you see the flag symbol and click that), then we'll review it.